108 Divya Desam Temples, Thanjavur District

God

Goddess

Other Deities

Thiruvinnagar, Uppiliappan Temple welcomes you with a magnificent 50 feet, 5 tiered Rajagopuram. The beautiful pond just as you enter to your right is another great sight. The plate and pot for performing ablution for the lord are made of gold. There is also a golden sword, diamond crown and gold arm guard for the Hanuman here at Thiruvinnagar. The Vimaanam of the sanctum sanctorum is gold plated with gold and its name Suddhananda Vimaana, meaning ‘Pure Happiness’. A shrine for Vedanta Desika is located near the sanctum sanctorum. Thiruvinnagar has 3 Prakarams with the Goddess and Aandal in the outer Prakara. The holy birth spot of the Goddess Bhoomidevi is located in the outer Prakaram.

History

Mangalasasanam has been rendered by Thirumangai Azhwar, Periyazhwar and Nammazhwar (part of the 12 Azhwars, 7-9th Century CE) here at Thiruvinnagar. It is not clear from inscriptions and records as to when the Thiruvinnagar temple was initiated, but there are inscriptions from the Medieval Cholas period indicating generous gifts to the temple. There are two inscriptions recorded from the Naganathar Temple in Tirunageswaram. The epigraph numbered 211 on the northern wall of the central shrine indicates gift of gold jewel worked in gems and pearls to the Thiruvinnagar temple from the Chola king Parakesarivarman alias Rajendra Chola I (1012–44 CE). The second inscription numbered 218 on the southern wall of the same shrine indicates a gift of land to the temple in the fourteenth year of the Chola King Rajaraja Rajakkesarivarman I. There were lot of additions made to the Thiruvinnagar temple by Govinda Dikshitar, the minister of successive Nayak rulers, Achuthappa Nayak (1560–1614 CE) and Raghunatha Nayak (1600–34 CE).

Legend

The Lord tested sage Markandeya by sending Mahalakshmi as his daughter and later asked for her hand in the form of an old man. Markandeya hesitated and the lord was adamant accepting all conditions including the reason that even if the girl makes food without salt he will still accept it. Markandeya prayed to Lord Shiva to know the truth and found out that the old man is none other than Lord Vishnu. Thus the name Uppilla (salt less) Appan (Lord).

Directions

Thiruvinnagar, Uppiliappan Temple is about 7 kilometers east of Kumbakonam town and close to the Thirunageswaram Temple.

Stay and Food

A few decent small hotels are available locally for food. Kumbakonam has excellent places to stay.